Amalgamator



(No Model.)

J. W. BAILEY & A. DE FIGANIERB.

AMALGAMATOR.

No. 267,768. dP atented Nov. 21,1882.

WITNESSES: INVENTORS W awk/wa ATTORNEYJ N. PETERS. Phum-uuw n her, wamingmn. D. c.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFIC JOHN BAILEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, AND AFFONSO DE FIGANIERE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,768, dated November 21, 1882.

Application filed May 13, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOHN W. BAILEY, of

the city of Denver, in the county of Arapaho,

in the Stateof Colorado, and AFFONSO DE FIGANIERE, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators, of which improvements the following is a. specification.

The object of our invention is to effect in a thorough and economical manner the extracting of the precious metals from their ores, to which end ourimprovements consistin appara'tus for'grinding and pulverizing such ores in the presence of molten lead or alloys, or of mercury, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the practice of our invention, the ore, havin g been first crushed to a suitable size, is fed into a hopper from whence it is forced downward through, a hollow shaft, filled with the molten metals or mercury, by means of a series of propeller-blades. The hollow shaft is centrally placed within a cylinder or vessel, and terminates at some distance from the bottom of the same, so that when the ore has passed through it it is liberated within the contents of the vessel, and will rise therein owing to the difference in specific gravity ex isting between itselfand the metalsurrounding it. This ascending action is aided by the agitation caused by a propeller-blade attached to the lower end of and revolving with the hollow shaft, the propeller-blades being so shaped as to induce an upward current of the metal and gangue near to the lowermost opening between the grinding-surfaces. These grindingsurfaces are formed by annular grinders placed one above the other, attached to the shaft, the grinding-surfaces diverging outward and upward from the shaft, or in reverse order, and being parallel or nearly parallel to other annular grinders that are fixed to the inner circumference of the cylinder or vessel. The said vessel contains molten lead or molten alloys or mercury to a height that will wholly submerge the grinding-surfaces. The rising ore will be ground between those surfaces. Those particles that are too small to be crushed within the lower rings will ascend to the next above, where, the grinding-surfaces being nearer together, they will be then crushed, and so on ascending into openings gradually narrowed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view showing a modified construction of grinders. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the hollow shaft on line 3 y.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respective figures.

A cylinder or vessel, A, preferably made of iron, is mounted in suitable masonry, A, and placed aboveafurnace, A employed for maintaining the fluidity of the molten mettls or alloys. Should mercury be used the furnace would of course not be called into requisition. In the cylinder A are placed annular seats a, for one series of the grinders which consist of annular removable shoes B B. An. equal number of opposing seats, I), are fixed to the central hollow shaft 0, these seats being also provided with removable grinders or shoes B B. The respective distances or spaces between the series of shoes B and B may be regulated by means of the thread a on the exterior of the hollow shaft O and the hand-wheel a turning" thereon. In Fig. 1 the faces of the shoes B and B are parallel, but in Fig. 2 the annular space diminishes in width toward its top or outlet, which construction enhances the grindin g action of the surfaces. The spaces between the different pairs of grinders or shoes decrease in width step by step with the ascent of the series. The hollow shaft 0, supportedinbearings secured to the frame-work D, is caused to revolve by power applied to the pulley G. The hollow shaft 0 is provided with a hopper, G at its upper end, and a propeller, 0 at its lower extremity, both of which revolve with it. It is also provided with curved inlet-tubes or bell-mouths 0 below the level ofthe molten metal or the mercury, (shown by the line or 00,) which tubes may be integral with or attached to and lead to the interior of the hollow shaft. (See the cross-section, Fig. 3.)

Within the hollow shaft is placed a revolving shaft, D", having a pulley, d, and a series of propeller-blades, d d, &c., which revolve freely within the hollow shaft. The cylinder or vessel A is provided with a lower discharge,

I", having a valve, and may have a free upper surface of a bath of molten lead or other metalv or alloy which will subject the shaft to a heat of 700 or more, it can be made a double hollow cylinder for a circulation of water or other cooling medium.

The operation of the machine briefly described is as follows: The molten metal or alloy or the mercury being in the vessel A to the level as x, and maintained thereat, ore is fed into the hopper G Rotary motion is now given to the hollow shaft 0, and a more rapid rotation to the inner shaft, E, and its series of propellers d d. The ore is forced down the hollow shaftthrough the molten metal or other equivalent substance by the action of the propellers and escapes from the hollow shaft at or near the bottom of the vessel A, where by its inferior specific gravity it ascends through the molten metal and is ground in its ascent by the series of annular grinding-shoes, the upward movement-ofthe ore being aided by the upward tendency or action of the propeller 0 The molten metal or the mercury is displaced from the hollow shaft by the action of the propellers and to keep up or maintain a circulation or supply of the same within the shaft the upper openings having the scoops O are provided. During this operation the precious metals will combine with the molten metal or metals or the mercury without loss of any part through the escape of fine particles. The pulverized gangue thus parted from its precious metals will be liberated from the upper grinding-rings, and will rise to the surface of the molten metal or the mercury, where it will accumulate 'till it reaches the edge of the vessel A, when it may be removed or allowed to crowd itself off. Where lead is used or oxidizable alloys there will be found great advantage in allowing quite a depth of gangue to rest upon the surface of the same, as it'will obviate direct contact with the atmosphere, and thereby in a great measure prevent oxidation. It may, besides, be found useful to feed in charcoal with the ore, which will absorb to a great extent, if not entirely, such atmospheric oxygen as will be introduced with the ore when fed. When the contents of the vessel shall have become enriched with the precious metals near to that degree which will render it difficult to maintain the contents in fluidity, they will be drawn ofi' and cast in molds, and these will be subjected to a parting process which need not be here described, asit forms no part of our invention.

We disclaim the broad invention of grinding or triturating pulverized ores when submerged in a bath of quicksilver or molten lead, as also of an apparatus having combined therein one or more grindingplates or surfaces, an ore-supplying chamber, and an inclosing-bath of quicksilver or molten lead, as also of a tubular conductor through which the ore descends; but 7 We claim as our invention- 1. The combination of-a containing-vessel, a series of fixed annular grinders, a revoluble hollow shaft, a series of annular grinders attached thereto, the spaces between the opposing pairs of grinders decreasing step by step with the ascent of the series, and an independent revoluble shaft within the hollow shaft provided with propeller-blades, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a containing-vessel, a central hollow shaft, and an independent shaft within the hollow shaft having a series of propeller blades, of a fixed ascending series of grinding-rings and an opposing series of grinding-rings revolving with the hollow shaft, the working-surfaces diverging outward and upward from the vertical center line of the containing-vessel or in reverse order, and the spaces between them being narrowed'with the ascent of the series, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a containing-vessel, a series of fixed grinders, a revoluble hollow shaft, a series of grinders attached thereto, a propeller-blade at the lowerextremity of the hollow shaft, inlet-tubes at an upper part thereof and leading to the interior of the shaft, and an independent revolving shaft with propellerblades within the hollow shaft, substantially as set forth.

4. A containin g-vessel, acentral'hollow shaft, an independent shaft within the hollow shaft having a series of propeller blades, a fixed ascending series of grinding-rings and an opposing series of grinding-rings revolving with the hollow shaft, the working-surfaces diverging outward and upward from the vertical center line of the containing-vessel, combined with mechanism for adjusting the spaces between the respective working or grinding surfaces, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

' JOHN W. BAILEY.

A. DE FIGANIERE. Witnesses for J. W. Bailey:

lsAAc G. BECK, GEORGE PETERSON. Witnesses for A. de Figaniere:

J NO. B. HALL, S. E. WRIGHT. 

